Pullicino Orlando to be given research and development role

Sarah Camilleri

Mar 12th 2010, 14:15

I fail to see what JPO has to do with research and technological development or how he can contribute validly in this field as he is neither a researcher nor industrialist.

The PM needs to explain. RTD should be in the hands of somebody with credibility and the ability to network with other universities and industry in order to attract investment and cooperation. Can he guarantee that JPO won't embarrass the country further?

m. borg (slm)

Mar 12th 2010, 11:34

Considering his expertise regards the Mistra Valley development JPO would surely fit the bill.
By the way were are those gonziPNers who screamed and clamoured for JPO's resiganation.?
It would be interesting what they think now of him.

M Cassar

Mar 11th 2010, 11:48

Prosit imma jekk ma jistax jikritika qas internament x'jiswa li joqghod jaccetta kollox? Ma jistax jghati feedback negattiv dan?

Muscat. Pat

Mar 11th 2010, 09:41

Lets call a spade a spade. This is not about reponsibility or democracy; everyone knows what it is all about! But we are still in time to hear the excuses and brave rhetoric of PN apologists.

Joe Grech

Mar 11th 2010, 00:49

If, as Mr. Joseph Ellis points out: ''this whole arrangement is completely illegal and unconstitutional'' then the Maltese, myself included, expect the President of the Republic Dr. George Abela as well as our Legal and Constitutional Custodians to oppose this measure which has sprung from the whim, most people will say, of just theP.M. It would be interesting to know what exactly the Leader of the Opposition himself thinks about this free and easy tampering with our Constitution....are Dr. Joseph Muscat - and the P.L. there?

John Zammit

Mar 10th 2010, 21:59

Power is like brine; the more you drink the more thirsty you become.

Anthony Mizzi

Mar 10th 2010, 20:31

Locally or overseas?

: )

Joseph Ellis

Mar 10th 2010, 18:24

We have our constitution and it is different from the U.K. one (which is not consolidated) and the Canadian one. Our constitution does not contemplate the office of parliamentary assistants. Nor does any other law of the land. What our constitution says is that no M.P. should be in government employment except as laid down by law. Some three or four summers ago, such law was passed in 45 minutes to allow M.P.s to be "reinstated" in government employment as opposed to having to step aside as they used to for ages but it does not cater for parliamentary assistants. Thus, this whole arrangement is completely illegal and unconstitutional and I am sorry to say, simply shows the cavalier attitude of the government towards the rule of law. We are continuing to make a whole sham of our constitution without having the decency to legislate on the matter. Once again the government is showing that its decisions are more important than the laws of the land and it is government by decree not through the rule of law.

john Grima

Mar 10th 2010, 18:06

Well this model may work in the United kingdom. However, there is a little detail that that was omitted and that is that the labour government has around a 63 seat majority and a total of 349 elected MPs. I can assure you that in the UK, relatively speaking, only a small number of these MPs are parliamentary assistants where as in Malta's case 8 MPs in these roles represents 25% of the total of MPs on the Governments side of the house.

Mike Magri

Mar 10th 2010, 15:08

I think that what the Prime Minister had actually done is that he had created another white elephant out of necessity, to try to save his skin as far as possible, as i am more than sure, that these back benchers that swallowed the bait, will still be treated as `Backbenchers` from their `NEW BOSSES`...!! That`s all....!! TIME WILL SHORTLY PROVE ME RIGHT GUYS......

Stefan Spiteri

Mar 10th 2010, 15:04

Why we cant agree,on any thing !!ROADS can some1 tell me about maltese roads.....HELOOOOOO .

Charles J. Buttigieg

Mar 10th 2010, 14:57

They are not going to be remunerated for their added duties. Its all for the love of Mike,sorry I meant Gonzi.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Mar 10th 2010, 14:53

I may be wrong but my impression is that the British House of Commons has Parliamentary Secretaries to assist different Cabinet Ministers. Theirs is a full time job and they receive a monetary allowance. Their role is similar to our Parliamentary Secretaries with less executive powers. The Canadian House of Commons has the same British System but their designation is parliamentary rapporteurs.

Jean-pierre Farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 14:19

This is the code of ethics: "they should avoid associating themselves with recommendations critical of, or embarrassing to the Government. They should also exercise discretion in any speeches or broadcasts outside Parliament. "

Colin Camilleri

Mar 10th 2010, 14:19

of course they will all vote for these extortionate utility price increases! how do you think their new salaries and perks will be financed?

this is democracy under the GonziPN....

Tony Abela

Mar 10th 2010, 14:15

We don't need to reinvent the wheel but we need to understand the concept of cicular motion adopted by the generic wheel and upon that build OUR OWN wheel which is adopted to OUR roads...

(While our roads are now much better than the roads of 10 years ago, they are still nothing like the roads in England or Canada.)

Joe Fenech

Mar 10th 2010, 13:46

Im' sure all the power thirsty MPs are very happy with this. What Gonzi didn't specify was by how much their salaries are going to be topped up!

C. Farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 13:16

What we have not been told is what are these MPs going to be paid? Will they have an official car, driver, private secretary and the usual costly entourage? From a financial point of view are we doubling the cabinet?

E Gatt

Mar 10th 2010, 13:03

“Dr Gonzi said the government was not inventing the wheel through this arrangement and this model worked particularly well in Canada and the UK.”

We were given the impression that this parliamentary arrangement was the brainchild of Dom Mintoff – courtesy of his No. 1 fan, Mr Joe Grima.